A Jedi Returns
by Raven of Midgard
Summary: An unknown Jedi returns to the Temple to seek answers to his past. His powers unknown to the Order, this Jedi's story is placed in the year 24BBY and will follow his involvement within the Clone Wars (pre & post). [Feedback welcomed, weekly chapters]
1. Chapter 1

The sun set over the Jedi Temple while Coruscant erupts with lights and the Temples pillars pierce the night sky.

A shadowed cloaked figure slips past the guards of the Jedi Temple without hesitation, he quickly finds himself lost with the Temples labyrinth of halls and training rooms. He takes caution when walking down the hallways keeping his face out of view, fortunately the few Jedi's roaming the halls think nothing of him. The figure spots a sign directing him to the Archives; unsure what he's looking for he knows this is the place to start.

The Archives are sealed at night and only a select few were able to open its doors; this figure was not one.  
Determined to sneak his way through he managed to find his way into the air vents, taking his time to ensure he would end up in the Archives room he scramble through the maze.

Suddenly he felt a strange presence; the vents were tight and only roughly 4ft tall allowing only just enough room to move along them.  
The vent then echoed with an electrically charged hum, a green glow illuminated the vent; the cloaked figure stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes and focused his mind, his eyes widened.

_"Hmmm. Arrogant you are, think you can sneak into the Jedi Temple hmm? Strong the Force is with you, but alone in its wealth you are"_

_"Master Yoda; my name is Yufk Greneel."_ He turned and faced Yoda

_"I come with word from Jedi Master Alec. I lost contact with him on Genarius but before he left he asked me to return to the Temple to pass this file to the Council and that my training was complete."_ Yufk paused waiting for Yoda's move, he made no attempt for his Lightsaber or Pistol.

_"Training complete? Decide the Council will of that. What in the archives do you seek?"_

_"My past, my future, an understanding of why I was sent away for 10 years"_


	2. Chapter 2

Yufk Greneel stands with his head bowed in front of the Jedi Council. Yoda marched him quietly to the Chambers and summoned the other Jedi Masters of the Council. Through holograms they were all present.

Mace Windu was quick to question_ "Who is this Master Yoda?"_  
_"Familiar is he not Master Windu? Jedi Alec's apprentice he is."_

Plo Koon spoke up_ "I don't recall a Jedi by the name of Alec?"  
_  
With a spiteful bite to his tone Windu replied_ "Alec went on a personal vendetta to bring a dark Jedi to justice. He was an outlaw, not ready to give himself to the Order."_

Kit Fisto interjected_ "We felt it was necessary that he took a youngling with him. We felt that if he did not have an apprentice he himself could be seduced by the Dark Side"  
_  
_"Fruitful was such a thought no?"_ Yoda asked._ "Destined was Yufk to be trained by Master Micah Giiet. His death, unfortunate it was."_

The Jedi's all bowed and paid their respects to the fallen Jedi Master, Micah Giiet.

_"Why does he return, and where is Alec now?"_ asked Windu

Yufk sick of being spoken about as if he wasn't in the room interrupted the Jedi's. _"Jedi Alec had finally found Karae Naval, he required me to return with a message and sensitive information to the galaxy's future, he felt me coming here was more important than his current mission. He told me he will join me until he has defeated Naval."  
_  
All the Jedi's of the Council sat up and were very interested in the message Yufk had travelled so far to deliver.  
Yufk placed the hologram disc on the floor and stood back.

Master Alec flickered into focus, he was wearing very untraditional Jedi wear, he addressed directly to the Jedi Council.  
_"If you have received this than my apprentice Yufk has done me proud. Over the last 10 years I have gathered information that informs me the Battle of Naboo was not a full scale invasion but rather a test for a gathering droid army. I have learnt that the Separatists Crisis is a decoy for a new movement that are building a droid army on various planets in the galaxy. They intend to remove the Galactic Republic and replace it with a new form of government. I am unclear to who is behind it but the Jedi Order need to be ready for an invasion. _  
_Unfortunately Salek's transformation to the dark side is complete; there was no turning back for my former apprentice. I go now to find and destroy the Sith Lord Naval but I cannot return to Coruscant for I have strayed too far from the Order and fear my return will not be met with warmth. I have sent back Padawan Yufk, he is strong minded and possesses more knowledge and understanding of the Force than I had at his age; he's skills and talents are wasted with me in the Outer Rims, he brings with him the information acquired in relation to the planets harvesting the Droid Army. I hope this will help in preserving the peace you have fought so hard to protect. May the Force be with you."_

Windu calmly asked _"Please leave us to discuss this Yufk"_

Yufk left the Council Chambers, confused at the rituals he was never taught or accustomed to. He was unaware of his Master never returning and feelings of betrayal and anger arose within him, he sat on the floor and meditated focusing on these thoughts and replacing them with calmness and understanding.

Yoda could feel this from the other room and grinned to himself, 'much control over his feelings he has' thought Yoda. He focused back to the discussion of the room.  
The hologram now projected images of planets and routes of the galaxy across the room, images of droids propped up with a few familiar faces to the Jedi's, Nate Gunray being one of them.

Windu was quick to lead the discussion_ "These companies are scattered all over the galaxy. We should dispatch Jedi's to investigate these planets immediately"  
_  
Yoda_ "Delicate we must be with this information"  
_  
Windu_ "Obi-Wan and Skywalker should be sent to investigate Charros IV"  
_  
Yoda _"Little appreciation does Skywalker have for stealth. The warlords of Charros IV care not for the Jedi"  
_  
Ki Adi Mundi _"Agree with Yoda I do, it is too risky to send Skywalker into such a hostile environment. We must choose subtle Jedi able gather information without giving us away. Have we had contact with Vos recently?"  
_  
Windu was quick to respond_ "Vos has a mission of much higher importance than this."  
_  
Yoda turned his attention to the young Jedi outside the doors of the Council Chambers._ "Send Yufk we should, quiet and skilled is the young one."  
_  
Ki Adi Mundi_ "His training is not complete, our knowledge of what Alec has taught him is too little to make such a decision. Can we trust him?"_  
_"Trust we must, our best hope he is"  
_  
All the Jedi's of the Council knew he was the only choice, yet both Windu and Ki Adi Mundi were cautious of the young Jedi, Alec's message gave them much distress than he himself may of turned to the dark side.

All the Jedi's turned off their holograms leaving Yoda to sit in the chambers alone meditating. He searched his feelings of the returned Jedi and went to speak with him.  
Yoda sat on a small seat that hovered to Yufk's torso; they walked along the candle lit halls. Yufk was calm but confused, Yoda sensed his clouded thoughts and wished to clear them for him as he felt Yufk held more secrets than he portrayed. Trust needed to be built between Young Yufk and the Jedi Order.

_"Welcome in the temple you are"  
_  
_"Thank you, I feel lost without Master Alec, I can't help but feel my training was so different"  
_  
_"Mission do you seek?"  
_  
_"Answers…"  
_  
_"Hmm, powerful was Jedi Alec, but clouded his vision was."  
_  
_"Why did the Order send me to train with him?, why did they allow him to pursue Dark Jedi Naval?"  
_  
_"Wary were we, distorted was his path of vengeance. The key to bring him back The Council felt you were. Wrong we were, too far gone was his focus"  
_  
_"Is my training complete?"  
_  
_"Unclear it is"  
_  
_"So what do I do now?"  
_  
_"Stay with us you will, you have been gone long, much is to be learnt. A mission I have for you, but first you rest, yes yes, rest you must"_

The two walk into the shadows of the halls of the Great Jedi Temple to a large door where Yoda stops and opens the door. Yufk stands there and stares awe inspired at the enormous shelves that contain the largest collection of knowledge known to the Galaxy; The Archives. The shelves seem to go on for ever and stand nearly 3 stories high. Yufk stand speechless, Yoda encourages him in.

_"Answers here you will find. But not all. Distrust for the Order did Alec have."  
_  
An old lady walked up to the two Jedi's and stood there waiting for an order. Yoda handed her the hologram from Alec, _"Filed this must be."_ Without a word she scurried off into the enormous room.

Yufk turned to Yoda,_ "What is my mission?"  
_  
Yoda calmly replied _"Tomorrow learn of this you will"_ Yoda hovered off deep in thought, cautious he was of the Jedi, but hopeful of his help to the Order Yoda was.


	3. Chapter 3

Yufk walks amongst the halls of the Temple and watches in as younglings train, memories of his training in the Temple come back to him and bring a smile to his face; it's been a while since he basked in the joy of memories. Yufk watches as younglings make their way through an obstacle course, particularly a young boy struggling to jump up to a high ledge.

"I still remember my first time facing that wall, I felt like I would never make it over in a hundred life times." Ki Adi Mundi approached the distant Jedi._ "Walk with me?"_ offered Ki Adi Mundi.  
Yufk obliged.

_"So how does the Temple compare to the outside world?"_

Yufk paused and ponded the question, he was always careful with his words._ "The temple allows us to feel safe, on the outside the safety net is taken from you, it's a daunting feeling"_

_"I'm curious to know what your training was like with Jedi Alec, I feel it would differ from our regular Padawans."_

_"I imagine it may differ dramatically to most Padawans, but the lessons learnt would be the same. Master Alec taught me the powerful ally that patience is, to look at your surroundings with a passive view and be emotionally void from all circumstances. A lot of my training would be under the guise of a smuggler, so using the force was not common place in my training; Alec would always say 'see without being seen young one'."_

Ki Adi Mundi nodded with understanding_ "Maybe it is only now that your true training begins?"_

_Yufk paused for a moment "When I was a youngling every lesson had a meaning and was related to an older more majestic time of peace keeping. I think Master Micah referred to it as the 'Golden Age', but with Alec, it was more as we went I learnt and picked up things with him. We had a mission that spanned nearly over a decade; that required the most acute attention to detail."_ He spoke with such maturity and without the need of approval, he was seen as a young Jedi but he was worldlier than most of the Master Jedi's.  
Ki Adi Mundi at that moment became less hesitant in his trust of the Jedi and begins to understand his true potential within the Order.

Yoda approaches the two as they look over the bustling capitol of Coruscant, Ki Adi Mundi explains to Yufk that sometimes there is more to being a Jedi; waving a lightsaber is not what truly defines a Jedi. Master Micah was a great example, how he sacrificed his life for others _"that is the most honourable and noble sacrifice a Jedi can make."_

They turn to Yoda_ "time it is, for your mission Jedi Yufk"_

Ki Adi Mundi finishes Yoda's sentence _"The Council must get to the bottom of this 'Droid Army' Jedi Alec discovered. Unfortunately this is a time where the Order must take extra precautions with its missions. The Galaxy is in a fragile state and the control of the Galactic Republic is slipping."_

_"Who the opposition are, unsure we are of that. To Charros IV you will go. Investigate the Droid Army and report back you must."_

Yufk stares onto the mechanical lands of Coruscant in thought _"I will go, I assume not as Jedi though?"_ a small bite of disdain in his tone.

_"A child you are not Yufk, a Jedi you are. The decision, only yours it is."_

Ki Adi Mundi_ "Sending you to Charros IV in a Jedi Starfighter is too dangerous."_

Yoda interjects _"To Kashyyyk we can send you, from there the Wookie may help"_

Yufk acknowledges their attempt to help, but they easily forget that he and Jedi Alec travelled the Galaxy from one end to another without the Council's help._ "I can get to Charros IV, I will contact you once I know more"_ Yufk then nodded his head in respect and left the two Masters watching over the Capitol.

_"I hope we are not wrong about this Master Yoda"_

Yufk made his way to the Undercity, it was a world within a world on Coruscant where crime was law, a mutual yet precarious understanding within the underbelly was not one to hash over lightly. This was something Yufk had come far too accustom to; he understood how to deal with bounty hunters and smugglers alike. It was here he would manage to find his way Charros IV.  
Yufk dressed in plain clothes, a battered over coat with a vest and gun sling; he looked the part of a typical smuggler showing no affiliation to any group.

He knew the Parlemian Trade Route was the best way to make his way to Charros IV; the problem was that Charros IV was an industrial planet and not many tourists would make their way there, so he had to find a smuggler to quietly drop him off there without questions.  
He walked up to order a drink, he leaned over to the bar tender and quietly asked, _"I'm heading to The Wheel and…"_  
Yufk stopped mid-sentence and noticed a Bimm sitting in the corner of the bar, trying to stay away from the light. Yufk knew that his home world was not far from his destination, he thought that maybe a smuggler was not his best option and that he could rely on the honesty of a Bimm.  
Yufk ignored the bar tender who took little interest in his question to begin with and walked over to the Bimm.

Unable to speak Bimmini Yufk hoped he spoke Basic _"Do you mind if I sit with you?"_  
_"Please" the Bimm gestured towards the vacant seat. "I will be leaving shortly after this drink, but I do not mind"_ his voice was soothing, harmonious and welcoming to Yufk. Their native language Bimmini was more song than words and when they spoke Basic they didn't lose their majestic flow of words.

_"Do you head home or to new adventures?"_ Yufk began the conversation.

_"Home for unfortunate reasons, but it has been a long time since I have seen my family so I look forward to it. And yourself…"_ he paused, waiting for a name to finish his sentence.

_"Shirae"_ Yufk said finishing the sentence.

_"My name is Rayean"_

_"Pleasure to meet you Rayean"_ Yufk had to almost sing his name to accommodate the accent._ "I'm on my way to The Wheel on a"_ he then chose what to say next very carefully as it determined the outcome of this conversation._ "On a mission for the Jedi"_

_"Oh my, you're a Jedi, how exciting!"_ exclaimed Rayean.

The two discussed their two cultures and how for many generations they have had a bond of peace and understanding. Rayean was very knowledgeable of this relationship and explained that they both work towards the same ideals of peace throughout the Galaxy but in different ways. Yufk knew all this though, it is the sole reason why he targeted the Bimm, he knew they can always be trusted to help a Jedi with their cause.

_"I don't wish to be blunt Rayean, but I am looking for transport to Charros IV, if you are heading to Bimmisaari I was hoping I could bother you to drop me off, I can pay you a handsome fee?"_

_"I am not comfortable with flying into the Charros system; our people have been warned of Hutt's taking control and creating a secret trade route through Charros."_ Rayean pauses_ "But I owe the Jedi a great deal of gratitude for what they have to done to my people. I can take you to Bimmisaari and there I have old ship you can take to Charros IV."_

_"I am for every in your debt Rayean"_

_"If you wish to accompany me though we must hurry"_

The two finish their drinks and walk out of the bar without anyone blinking an eye.


End file.
